Condenser-remover for internal-combustion engines.



W. G. HEGINBOTTOM.

CONDENSER REMOVER FOR INTERNAL comausnow ENGINES. APPLICATlON FILED OCT. 8. w ll.

1,289,16& Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

/ NO -1F auwwioz an internal combustion engine embodying ITE %ATE% AT FFTQE.

WALTER G. EEGINBOTTOM, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

I Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed October 8, 1917. Serial No. 195,308.

The invention relates to internal combustion engines, and it is the object to prevent condensation of water in the crank-case due to leakage of gas by thepistons. It is usual in internal combustion engine construction to connect the open ends of the cylinders with thecraink case and to lubricate both cylinders and crank by a splash system. It

is diflicult to maintain a perfect gas seal by the piston rings, and therefore a certain amount of the gaseous products of combustion, including water vapor, will pass downward into the crank-case. In cold weather more or less condensation of the water vapor occurs in the crank-case, and the water therefrom is mixed with the oil, with a dam ger of freezing and stopping the oil circulating system. It is the object of the present invention to avoid this result, which is accomplished by the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1.

A is the engine cylinder, B the piston therein, C C, etc., the piston packing rings and D the crank case. 7 To prevent leakage of gas into the crank-case I arrange in the piston, preferably intermediate the last ring and the rest of the series a receiving chamber E. This chamber is of suflicient capacity to receive and hold any gas leaking past the upper rings without material rise in pressure during the stroke of the piston. F is a port in the cylinder wall communicating with the chamber E to vent or exhaust the gases therefrom, said port being so arranged as to remain open for as large a portion as possible of the piston stroke. 4 G is a wall opposite the port F for changing the direction -of gases discharged through the port and operating to remove any oil carried by the gases. H is an exhaust port through the Wall G and I is a passage permitting the drainage of oil on the wall G back into th crank-case chamber.

With the construction described in operation, whatever gas leaks by the rings C C and C will be received by the chamber E. Further leakage from this chamber past the ring C is prevented by reason of the reduction in pressure through the enlarged vol ume of the chamber, and furthermore, as the chamber is in communication with the port F during a greater part of the working stroke, the pressure therein will be but slightly greater than atmospheric. The portion of the cylinder in which the port F is located will be at a temperature, even in cold weather, sufiiciently high to prevent condensation of the water vapor, so that this vapor is free to pass out through the ports F and H, while the oil carried in suspension will be collected by the wall G and will drain into the case. Thus, without wasting any of the oil, condensation water is excluded therefrom.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with an engine cylinder, a piston therein and a plurality of packing rings on said piston, of an expansion chamber on said piston intermediate said rings, a port in the cylinder wall communieating with said expansion chamber during a portion of the stroke of the'piston, and a separator adjacent to said port for removing oil from the gases exhausting therethrough andfor directing the same into the crank case.

2. The combination with a cylinder, a piston therein and a plurality of packing rings on said piston, of an expansion chamber on said piston intermediate said rings, a port in the cylinder communicating with said expansion chamber during a portion of the stroke of the .piston, and a casing covering said port and having a port therein out of alinement with said first-mentioned port, said casing being connected to the crank chamber.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WALTER G. HEGINBOTTOM. 

